Two months!

Hello, my name is Tucker.

I am almost 10 weeks old and big enough to make my own blog entries now! This last week has been pretty busy. Monday, my mom and dad took me to the doctor for my two month check-up. Dr. Schreuder told me I am 12 pounds and almost 23.5 inches long and that I am really healthy. That didn't stop them from giving me 5 shots though! They really hurt and they made me kinda sleepy, but the rest of my week has been great. I met my Uncle Taylor,
got to help decorate my first Christmas tree and even touched my first snowflake!
That's all for now. Over and out!

Christmas Music

For those of you who were wondering...it is now time to play your Christmas music as much as possible. Don't let the naysayers hold you down and tell you to wait any longer!

Here are a few of my suggestions for great Christmas music.

My all-time favorite is Nat King Cole's album "The Christmas Song". As a child growing up, my dad would play this album constantly. It got to the point where my brother and I could not stand it! Now I must thank my dad for introducing me to the cream of the crop when it comes to Christmas albums.

Another old classic is Frank Sinatra's Christmas album entitled "A Jolly Christmas".

If you are looking for something a little more fresh, look no further than Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas" featuring probably the most listened to Christmas song of our generation "All I Want for Christmas is You". You should also check out The Elf soundtrack, which is a great compilation of favorites from over the years.

For those who have a questionable taste in music, you can check out Kenny G's "The Greatest Holiday Classics".

YIKES!

Smiles!

It has been some time since we have posted, and Tucker is growing like a weed. Lately, he has just been hangin' out

He has learned to smile and coo,




and loves to go shopping with friends.


Sometimes we have playtime



and sometimes we have quiet time



... Our most favorite time is first thing in the morning when the little guy wakes us up and hops into bed (with a little help) between Marsh and I. He smiles and kicks and plays for an hour or so before we rise to start our day. It is the best.

Halloween

Next Halloween you should consider packing up the car and heading up to Snoqualmie Ridge. I'm not kidding when I say that the streets are lined with kids! At one point, we saw a group of at least 10 little ones trick-or-treating together. The sad thing is that not one of them produced a good trick when we chose the 'trick' in trick-or-treat.

Here are a few shots of Tucker as dog for his first Halloween, his girlfriend Taylor as a ladybug, and Tucker looking like a thug with his lady at his side.

Birthday Fun!

This week, we had quite an adventure as my most wonderful friend, Christena, graced us with her presence for Tuck's and my birthday week!


Tuck turned the big One Month on Thursday...

and Friday was my 27th!

Despite a bout with the 24 hour flu mid week, we had some fun running around town, lunch at Cafe Flora,

dinner with family and friends and some great time sharing our hearts amidst tears and laughter. Marsh and I often talk about how thankful we are to have been blessed with amazing, loyal and trustworthy friends that despite distance and time are so very faithful. Christena is certainly one of those... She headed back to Santa Barbara Saturday afternoon and we hope to see her again soon!

As for the happy couple, Marsh and I are both on the mend; he took me out for a delightful birthday dinner on Sunday evening (and missed the Red Sox game! what sacrifice!) Though I did get the cutest Red Sox t-shirt from Tuck...

I was excited to have a little time alone with my wonderful husband... he has been such a trooper despite feeling a bit blue on my birthday and I am thankful for his huge heart.

Tuck's Brush with Fame

On Friday night Emily, Tucker and I were treated to dinner by my uncle Glenn and my aunt Cherry. We decided to keep things local so we ate downstairs in our building at a fabulous restaurant called Bennett's. Half way through the meal as I was taking a bite of food Emily leans over and says, "Isn't that the guy who hosts 'The Soup'?" After finishing my bite of food I looked up and sure enough, being seated a few tables over was Joel McHale. For those of you who don't know, The Soup is a talk/comedy show on the E! network that makes fun of pop culture every week. Joel McHale was a '91 Mercer Island grad and was back in town eating dinner with his mom.

I knew this would be Tuck's big break to meet his first celebrity so on the way out as we passed by his table I stopped and said, "My son wanted has been waiting for us to leave so he could come by and tell you that his favorite show ever is 'The Soup'." Joel laughed and told us that Tucker was spoiled already. After chatting for a few minutes Emily asked if he wouldn't mind taking his picture with Tucker. The result was these two classic pictures you see below!




Thanks for your generosity Joel! Tucker is still bragging about his first encounter with a celebrity.

Tuck's Big Weekend

This guy is on the move! This past weekend was a whirlwind as we had Mercer Island Homecoming, Rachel Orrico and Danny Lund's fantastic wedding, and a surprise 60th for Marshall's step-mom, Chris. It was a blast but I must say that we found our limit as a new little family. We all crashed by the end of the weekend and little Tuck was all tuckered out... Regardless, life is GOOD; the little guy seems to be growing before our very eyes and continues to surprise us with new sounds and faces (and peeing on the wall has become his latest trick - though he only performs that one for daddy!)

Enjoy the pics!


Tuck does homecoming... GO MI!

We love weddings!

Rachel says "I DO!!"

The Chef gets a kiss. :)

The Odie-Jamieson Clan

Tuck makes the rounds

The Godparents!

Happy Birthday, Chris!

All Tuckered out...

The Ladies Man

Tuck has only graced our presence for 12 days, however has won more hearts than I can count! Here is a little snip of just a handful of ladies who are smitten with our little heartbreaker.

Tuck becomes a sports fan...

Red Sox games actually make it on the family calendar at our house... so no sooner did Tuck learn to poop up his back, did Daddy have him dressed to the nines and swept him over to Uncle Tyler's place (around the corner in our apartment building) to watch the playoff game... I must admit, it was pretty cute to watch the boys bond over such an event. And Kara, under that blanket, he is wearing his homemade Boston onesie. :)



And don't forget the Seahawks! Uncle Ty showed up in time for Sunday's game with a Tatupu jersey onesie... it has undoubtedly been a big week for the wee sports nut!

Meet the Parents

...and the grandparents




...and the great-grandparents!

First Post-Tucker Date Night

Before Tucker was born we had received some valuable advice from close friends telling us to make date nights a priority after the little guy arrived. So just six days after Tucker arrived, Emily and I chose to heed that advice. Little did we know we were about to embark on the best date night yet...

We called up Emily's dad and mom (Pop Pop or Grandpa Odie and Sheshy, as they will be called) to come over and watch Tuck. After a yummy dinner all together, we left Tuck with his (delighted) grandparents and headed up to one of our favorite date spots, Newcastle Golf Club, for dessert. To our dismay the restaurant had just closed but we would later find out this was a blessing. We drove the car to a look-out spot at the golf course and opened up what was undoubtedly the most special baby gift we received. Without my knowledge, my mom had written a card and made a tape of her voice for her future grandchildren before she passed away over 9 years ago now. I opened up the card and struggled to read it out loud to Emily as the tears began to flow. We then listened to the tape and I heard my mom's voice for the first time in nearly a decade. Words cannot explain what this gift means to us and hopefully to our kids. My children will never meet their grandmother (or Nana as she would have been called), but I hope that they will be able to see a little bit of her in me. As Emily and I sat and prayed and talked about heaven, I decided I didn't know exactly what it will be like, but I can picture my mom holding her grandkids in her arms for hours and telling them how much she loves them.

Bath Time!

Today, in celebration of turning a week old, Tucker had his very first bath! Needless to say, the little guy didn't so much love being cold, naked and wet, and exercised his lungs for the duration. In the end, he came out smelling sweet and clean and cute as a button! We hope to get a little video up in the next day or so...

Tuck's First Outing

Day 5 and Tucker made it to his first sporting event! We decided to venture out to see the Heat, my select soccer team and Tuck couldn't have been on better behavior despite a bit of wind and a sprinkle that came just as we were leaving the field. I adore my girls and have missed them these last weeks as I have been on "maternity leave"; it was such fun to see them all sprint off the field toward us as soon as the game ended. I rerouted them to run through the high-five line of faithful parents... I have never seen them go so quickly! Within moments, there were three rows of delighted faces staring at Tuck and making comments like "you can't touch the top of his head, you'll push right through" and "oh that's gross!" and "look at his little nose!" Truly, it was priceless...



Daddy, Tuck and I had our first quiet evening at home. We ate delicious leftovers (Lisa, the mac and cheese was even better the second time around) and watched the USC game as Tucker slept... Life could not feel more full and the days could not go by more quickly. We are so very blessed!

Tucker has Arrived!

By now most of you have heard the wonderful news that Tucker Scott Jamieson has made his arrival! (Sorry for the length of this entry. It is hard to cut out any part of the birth story when it is one of the most amazing experiences of my life.)

Because Tucker was a stubborn little guy and decided not to come out on his own, Emily had to be induced. We received the call early (6:15am) on Tuesday morning the 25th to come into the hospital for the induction. We arrived at about 7:45 and the process was quickly under way. Our amazing nurse, Pauletta, who was with us through the whole delivery, put Emily on pitocin at 8am to help her body begin contractions. From about 8am to 1pm Emily made the whole process seem pretty easy. Things would soon change however. The doctor came in a little after 1 and broke Emily's water for her which really got the contractions coming hard and fast. An hour later, a warm bath sounded good to Emily so she hopped into the tub to relax (or barely made it in as she labored through another contraction). The next two hours would be the most intense of the day. Emily went into the zone and about all I could do to help out was feed her ice chips, rub her head with a cold rag, and tell her she was doing an amazing job. At about 4, Pauletta suggested that this would be a good time for an epidural if Emily would be up for it. Because the little guy was so low, Emily was doing everything she could not to push during each contraction. She thought it would calm Emily down and actually help the delivery go quicker because she would not be as tense. Pauletta was exactly right. The hour after Emily had the epidural she went from 6cm to 9cm and acted as if nothing was happening. She even had some great time to chat with Pauletta about her upcoming move to San Francisco and her weekend vacation to New York. After a few hours of chit chat and allowing the contractions to do their thing, the doctor came in a little after 7 and had Emily begin pushing. After pushing a few times the doctor informed us there would be a chance of having a c-section because Tucker's heart rate was dropping significantly after each contraction. In order to help the little guy come out quicker, our doctor decided to bring out the vacuum (a big suction cup). For those of you who have never seen or given birth, this was the one part of the delivery that was far different than I had imagined. I thought that the doctor would just use the suction and vacuum on his head and give a gentle little helping hand...this was not the case. Dr. Callahan put the suction on his head and reared back and tugged like she was trying to start a lawn mower! (Go ahead and picture it...it's actually pretty funny.) I was thinking to myself, "Good grief...it's just a little baby in there!" At one point the suction lost its grip and came flying out and sent Dr. Callahan's arm flailing in the air. We all had to stop and laugh even in the midst of what was going on. In the end, the suction did help Tucker get closer to the goal though. Also, with the thought of possibly having a c-section, Emily decided to take her pushing to another level. After an episiotomy and a few more pushes, little Tucker's head came out and tears welled in my eyes. We could quickly see the reason for his declining heart rate; his cord had been wrapped around his neck. Dr. Callahan was amazing and grabbed a few clamps, clipped the cord, and had Emily pushing again almost before we knew anything was wrong. Two more pushes was all it took and little Tucker made his appearance in the world!! He was whisked over to the other side of the room to get cleaned up and after a suction in the mouth we heard a little whimper from him. Let me tell you that no note of a famous voice, no sound of a beautiful instrument, and no ocean waves can compare to the first sounds of your child. It truly is priceless. Nothing would stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks. I was able to hold him just a minute later. In the end, Tucker came out weighing 7lbs, 13 oz, stretching 21in long, and is the most handsome little baby boy we have ever seen!

Over the course of my life I have looked to a few people as my hero's and I must admit that after that day, Emily was near the top of that list. She was the most amazing mom all throughout her pregnancy and delivery. I am so excited to watch her by a mommy to little Tucker and any children that we would be blessed to have after him.

Jamiesons Love the Red Sox

(Marshall's debut as a sports writer...)

Sports are not all there is in life...but sometimes they come pretty close. With that being said, I was getting very excited this past Friday for the weekend series at Fenway Park between the beloved Red Sox and the Evil Empire (aka New York Yankees). By Sunday night the Yankees had swept through Boston and stole 2 out of 3 games in the series. There are few things in life that are more painful than watching the Evil Empire celebrate a victory on Boston's holy ground.

Baby J is due any second now and I am excited to be a good American father and introduce him to the game of baseball. More importantly, to the Boston Red Sox. I have already been told on more than one occasion that we are a bit overboard with the Red Sox gear for the little guy. His adopted auntie Marcy bought him a full Red Sox set complete with onesie, cap, booties, and blanket; his uncle Tyler bought him his first Sox bat and ball; our dear friend Kara handmade him a Sox onesie; and his grandpa (who will be called Papi after Big Papi David Ortiz) bought him a Sox pillow that awaits him in the corner of his crib. I say there is never enough Red Sox gear but Emily put a stop to it at the Wally Mobile (the Red Sox little green mascot) dangling above the crib. So if anybody is thinking of last minute gift ideas...just kidding.

Emily and I can't wait to meet our son anytime now and while this past weekend they were a welcomed diversion, I'm sure at that point the Red Sox will be one of the furthest things on our mind!

The Long Awaited Due Date...

So, we have decided that babies should have a projected "delivery week" as when have you ever heard of a little one who is born on the date every expecting parent has engraved on their calendar? Regardless, we are still waiting (im)patiently and so excited to greet our little guy! Of course, Marshall woke up this morning and rubbing my belly said to the wee one, "uh oh, you are going to start off being late just like your mom... this does not bode well for you." Ha! Daddy is getting schooled in patience... a much needed lesson for both of us as we prepare for our life to be flipped upside down! I will say that I am really enjoying having a relatively blank schedule. We have been taking life one day at a time and I have cooked dinner the last three nights, hosting friends and family and even made a trip to the liquor store in search of kahlua for a fabulous chocoloate kahlua cake! That said, keep your fingers crossed...he'll be here any day!

The Innaugural Blog

Hello to all!

Following other clever friends, we have decided to invest a bit of time in a blog in an effort to keep everyone updated on the latest developments of our growing family! We are just weeks away from our due date (September 13) and I feel a bit like a time bomb as the belly continues to expand and Braxton Hicks contractions come often. Baby J loves to dance (my bladder being his preferred venue) and gets hiccups several times a day, making my entire belly jump at regular intervals.

The sweet Garner family offered us a little getaway to their beach house on Whidbey; we woke up this morning to the sound of waves and the smell of salt water and Marsh and I could not be more appreciative of such a peaceful retreat just days/weeks? before two become three. We are so very excited to become parents and finally meet this little bundle. We wonder where we'll be when he decides to make his entry into the world... and even more, what will life hold once he arrives!? We know that all of life will change, but cannot even pretend to know what that really means...